Is Benadryl Safe With Children's Cough DM (Dextromethorphan)?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and dextromethorphan can be used together.
Can Children Benadryl be taken with Children's Cough DM?
Dec 31, 2021- Benadryl and Children's Cough DM can be safely used together as there are no known interactions between diphenhydramine and dextromethorphan.
- Both medications can cause drowsiness, so combining them may make you feel more tired than using either one alone.
- Some over-the-counter cold products actually contain both of these ingredients together in a single product.
Hello and thanks for reaching out to us! I'm more than happy to answer this for you.
In your question, you don't mention exactly what product you are referring to with 'Children's Cough DM'.
However, this product name is shared between many different store-brand (i.e. generic) cough medicines, like these products available from Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart:
All of these 'Children's Cough DM' products are made and marketed to be compared to the brand name product, Children's Delsym.
All of these products contain the same active ingredient, dextromethorphan.
So, we are looking at whether or not dextromethorphan and Benadryl (which contains the active ingredient diphenhydramine) can be taken together.
Can You Use Both Together?
As mentioned in the section above, Children's Cough DM products and brand name Delsym contain the cough suppressant, dextromethorphan.
It is safe to take Benadryl (diphenhydramine), a sedating antihistamine, and dextromethorphan together. There are no known interactions between the two drugs.
In fact, it's not uncommon for some over-the-counter cough/cold products to contain both an antihistamine, like Benadryl, and dextromethorphan.
For example, Diabetic Tussin has both drugs in it.
Side Effects?
I will say that even though Benadryl and dextromethorphan can be used together (and may even be combined into a single product), both can make you a little tired.
Benadryl is well-known to cause sedation, which is why it is so commonly used as a sleep aid.
While dextromethorphan generally doesn't cause as much sedation as Benadryl, it still does cause drowsiness in some individuals. Therefore, if you combine both, just be aware you're likely to feel tired since both can have this effect.
Final Words
Thanks again for reaching out to us. Feel free to contact us with any further questions!
References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Active ingredient
- The chemical substance in a medication that produces the intended therapeutic effect.
- Dextromethorphan
- A cough suppressant medication commonly found in over-the-counter cough and cold products.
- Diphenhydramine
- The active ingredient in Benadryl that blocks histamine and causes drowsiness.
- Antihistamine
- A medication that blocks histamine, a chemical in the body that causes allergy symptoms and inflammation.
- Sedating antihistamine
- An antihistamine medication that causes drowsiness as a side effect.
- Interactions
- Unwanted effects that occur when two or more medications are taken together and affect how each other works in the body.
- Sedation
- A state of calmness or drowsiness caused by medication.
- Generic
- A store-brand or non-brand-name version of a medication that contains the same active ingredients as the brand-name product.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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